The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4.1-9Luke 8.4-8)1 That same day Jesus left the house and went to the lakeside, where he sat down to teach. 2 The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it, while the crowd stood on the shore. 3 He used parables to tell them many things.
“Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. 4 As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep. 6 But when the sun came up, it burned the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. 7 Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants bore grain: some had one hundred grains, others sixty, and others thirty.”
9 And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!”
The Purpose of the Parables
(Mark 4.10-12Luke 8.9Luke 10)10 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 Jesus answered, “The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has. 13 The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand. 14 So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them:
‘This people will listen and listen, but not understand;
they will look and look, but not see,
15 because their minds are dull,
and they have stopped up their ears
and have closed their eyes.
Otherwise, their eyes would see,
their ears would hear,
their minds would understand,
and they would turn to me, says God,
and I would heal them.’
16 “As for you, how fortunate you are! Your eyes see and your ears hear. 17 I assure you that many prophets and many of God's people wanted very much to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4.13-20Luke 8.11-15)18 “Listen, then, and learn what the parable of the sower means. 19 Those who hear the message about the Kingdom but do not understand it are like the seeds that fell along the path. The Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in them. 20 The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who receive the message gladly as soon as they hear it. 21 But it does not sink deep into them, and they don't last long. So when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, they give up at once. 22 The seeds that fell among thorn bushes stand for those who hear the message; but the worries about this life and the love for riches choke the message, and they don't bear fruit. 23 And the seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message and understand it: they bear fruit, some as much as one hundred, others sixty, and others thirty.”
The Parable of the Weeds
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man sowed good seed in his field. 25 One night, when everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 When the plants grew and the heads of grain began to form, then the weeds showed up. 27 The man's servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, it was good seed you sowed in your field; where did the weeds come from?’ 28 ‘It was some enemy who did this,’ he answered. ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked him. 29 ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because as you gather the weeds you might pull up some of the wheat along with them. 30 Let the wheat and the weeds both grow together until harvest. Then I will tell the harvest workers to pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them, and then to gather in the wheat and put it in my barn.’”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4.30-32Luke 13.18Luke 19)31 Jesus told them another parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants. It becomes a tree, so that birds come and make their nests in its branches.”
The Parable of the Yeast
(Luke 13.20Luke 21)33 Jesus told them still another parable: “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A woman takes some yeast and mixes it with a bushel of flour until the whole batch of dough rises.”
Jesus' Use of Parables
(Mark 4.33Mark 34)34 Jesus used parables to tell all these things to the crowds; he would not say a thing to them without using a parable. 35 He did this to make come true what the prophet had said,
“I will use parables when I speak to them;
I will tell them things unknown since the creation of the world.”
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds
36 When Jesus had left the crowd and gone indoors, his disciples came to him and said, “Tell us what the parable about the weeds in the field means.”
37 Jesus answered, “The man who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; the good seed is the people who belong to the Kingdom; the weeds are the people who belong to the Evil One; 39 and the enemy who sowed the weeds is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvest workers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered up and burned in the fire, so the same thing will happen at the end of the age: 41 the Son of Man will send out his angels to gather up out of his Kingdom all those who cause people to sin and all others who do evil things, 42 and they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and gnash their teeth. 43 Then God's people will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, then, if you have ears!
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44 “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man happens to find a treasure hidden in a field. He covers it up again, and is so happy that he goes and sells everything he has, and then goes back and buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl
45 “Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. A man is looking for fine pearls, 46 and when he finds one that is unusually fine, he goes and sells everything he has, and buys that pearl.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Also, the Kingdom of heaven is like this. Some fishermen throw their net out in the lake and catch all kinds of fish. 48 When the net is full, they pull it to shore and sit down to divide the fish: the good ones go into the buckets, the worthless ones are thrown away. 49 It will be like this at the end of the age: the angels will go out and gather up the evil people from among the good 50 and will throw them into the fiery furnace, where they will cry and gnash their teeth.
New Truths and Old
51 “Do you understand these things?” Jesus asked them.
“Yes,” they answered.
52 So he replied, “This means, then, that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who takes new and old things out of his storage room.”
Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth
(Mark 6.1-6Luke 4.16-30)53 When Jesus finished telling these parables, he left that place 54 and went back to his hometown. He taught in the synagogue, and those who heard him were amazed. “Where did he get such wisdom?” they asked. “And what about his miracles? 55 Isn't he the carpenter's son? Isn't Mary his mother, and aren't James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? 56 Aren't all his sisters living here? Where did he get all this?” 57 And so they rejected him.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is respected everywhere except in his hometown and by his own family.” 58 Because they did not have faith, he did not perform many miracles there.
1 Tanī dienā Jēzus, no nama izgājis, apsēdās jūras malā. 2 Un daudz ļaužu sapulcējās pie Viņa, tā ka Viņš iekāpa laivā un apsēdās, un visi ļaudis stāvēja krastmalā. 3 Un Viņš uz tiem daudz runāja līdzībās un sacīja: "Redzi, sējējs izgāja sēt. 4 Un, viņam sējot, cita sēkla krita ceļmalā, un putni nāca un to apēda; 5 un cita krita uz akmenāju, kur tai nebija daudz zemes, un tā tūdaļ uzdīga, tāpēc ka tai nebija dziļas zemes; 6 bet, kad saule uzlēca, tad tā savīta un nokalta, tāpēc ka tai nebija saknes; 7 bet cita iekrita ērkšķos, un ērkšķi uzauga un to nomāca; 8 bet cita krita labā zemē un nesa augļus, cita simtkārtīgus, cita sešdesmitkārtīgus, cita trīsdesmitkārtīgus. 9 Kam ausis dzirdēt, tas lai dzird." 10 Un mācekļi piegāja pie Viņa un sacīja: "Kāpēc Tu uz tiem runā līdzībās?" 11 Bet Viņš atbildēja un tiem sacīja: "Jums ir dots zināt Debesu valstības noslēpumus, bet viņiem tas nav dots. 12 Jo, kam ir, tam tiks dots, un tam būs pārpilnība; bet, kam nav, tam tiks atņemts arī tas, kas tam ir. 13 Tāpēc Es uz tiem runāju līdzībās, jo tie redzēdami neredz un dzirdēdami nedzird un nesaprot. 14 Un pie tiem piepildās pravieša Jesajas vārdi, kas saka: ar ausīm jūs dzirdēsit, bet nesapratīsit; skatīdamies jūs skatīsities, bet neredzēsit. 15 Jo šo ļaužu sirds ir apcietināta, un viņu ausis ir nedzirdīgas, un savas acis tie ir aizdarījuši, ka tie ar acīm neredz un ar ausīm nedzird un sirdī nesaprot un neatgriežas, ka Es tos dziedinātu. 16 Bet svētīgas ir jūsu acis, jo tās redz, un jūsu ausis, jo tās dzird.- 17 Jo patiesi Es jums saku: daudzi pravieši un taisnie ir gribējuši redzēt, ko jūs redzat, un nav redzējuši, un dzirdēt, ko jūs dzirdat, un nav dzirdējuši. 18 Tad nu klausaities līdzību par sējēju. 19 Ja kas vārdu par Valstību dzird un nesaprot, tad nāk ļaunais un paņem to, kas viņa sirdī sēts. Šis ir tas, kas sēts ceļmalā; 20 bet, kas uz akmenāju sēts, ir tas, kas vārdu dzird un tūdaļ to ar prieku uzņem; 21 bet viņam nav saknes sevī, un viņš ir nepastāvīgs. Kad uziet bēdas vai vajāšanas vārda dēļ, tad viņš tūdaļ apgrēkojas; 22 bet, kas sēts ērkšķos, ir tas, kas vārdu dzird, un šīs pasaules zūdīšanās un bagātības viltība nomāc vārdu, un viņš nenes augļus; 23 bet, kas sēts labā zemē, ir tas, kas vārdu dzird un saprot, tas tad nes augļus, cits simtkārtīgus un cits sešdesmitkārtīgus, un cits trīsdesmitkārtīgus." 24 Vēl citu līdzību Viņš tiem sacīja: "Debesu valstība ir līdzīga cilvēkam, kas labu sēklu sēja savā tīrumā. 25 Bet, ļaudīm guļot, nāca viņa ienaidnieks un iesēja nezāli kviešu starpā, un aizgāja. 26 Un, kad labība auga un metās vārpās, tad parādījās arī nezāle. 27 Tad nama tēva kalpi, pie tā piegājuši, sacīja: kungs, vai tu neesi labu sēklu sējis savā tīrumā? No kurienes tad radusies nezāle? 28 Un viņš tiem sacīja: to ienaidnieks darījis. - Tad kalpi tam sacīja: vai gribi, ka mēs ejam to izravēt? 29 Bet viņš sacīja: nē, ka jūs, nezāli ravēdami, neizplūcat reizē arī kviešus. 30 Lai aug abi kopā līdz pļaujamam laikam; un pļaujamā laikā es sacīšu pļāvējiem: salasiet papriekš nezāli un sasieniet to kūlīšos, lai to sadedzina; bet kviešus sakrājiet manā šķūnī." 31 Vēl citu līdzību Viņš tiem stāstīja un sacīja: "Debesu valstība līdzinās sinepju graudiņam, ko kāds cilvēks ņēma un iesēja savā tīrumā. 32 Šī ir gan mazākā no visām sēklām, bet, kad tā uzaug, tad tā ir lielāka par citiem dārza stādiem un top par koku, tā ka putni apakš debess nāk un taisa ligzdas viņa zaros." 33 Vēl citu līdzību Viņš tiem sacīja: "Debesu valstība līdzinās raugam, ko kāda sieva ņēma un iejauca trīs mēros miltu, iekāms viss sarūga." 34 Visu to Jēzus runāja uz ļaudīm līdzībās, un bez līdzībām Viņš uz tiem nerunāja, 35 lai piepildītos, ko pravietis runājis, sacīdams: es atdarīšu savu muti līdzībās, es runāšu lietas, kas apslēptas no pasaules iesākuma.- 36 Tad Jēzus, ļaudis atlaidis, iegāja namā un Viņa mācekļi pie Tā piegāja un sacīja: "Izskaidro mums līdzību par nezāli tīrumā." 37 Un Viņš atbildēja un uz tiem sacīja: "Tas, kas sēj labo sēklu, ir Cilvēka Dēls. 38 Bet tīrums ir pasaule, un labā sēkla ir Valstības bērni, un nezāle ir ļaunā bērni. 39 Ienaidnieks, kas to sējis, ir velns, un pļaujamais laiks ir pasaules gals, un pļāvēji ir eņģeļi. 40 Tad nu tā, kā nezāli salasa un ugunī sadedzina, tā arī notiks pasaules pastarā galā. 41 Cilvēka Dēls izsūtīs Savus eņģeļus, un tie salasīs no Viņa valstības visas apgrēcības un tos, kas dara netaisnību, 42 un tos metīs degošā ceplī; tur būs raudāšana un zobu trīcēšana. 43 Tad taisnie spīdēs kā saule sava Tēva valstībā. Kam ausis dzirdēt, tas lai dzird! 44 Debesu valstība līdzinās tīrumā apslēptai mantai, ko cilvēks atrada un paslēpa, un, priecādamies par to, noiet un pārdod visu, kas tam ir, un pērk šo tīrumu. 45 Vēl Debesu valstība līdzinās tirgotājam, kas meklēja dārgas pērles. 46 Un, atradis vienu sevišķi dārgu pērli, nogāja un pārdeva visu, kas tam bija, un nopirka to. 47 Vēl Debesu valstība līdzinās tīklam, izmestam jūrā, kas savilka visādas zivis. 48 Un, kad tas bija pilns, tad viņi to izvilka malā, nosēdās un labās salasīja traukos, bet sapuvušās izmeta laukā. 49 Tā tas būs pasaules pastarā galā: eņģeļi izies un atšķirs ļaunos no taisnajiem 50 un tos metīs degošā ceplī, tur būs kaukšana un zobu trīcēšana. 51 Vai jūs to visu esat sapratuši?" Tie Viņam sacīja: "Esam gan." 52 Tad Viņš tiem sacīja: "Tāpēc ikkatrs rakstu mācītājs, mācīts Debesu valstībai, ir līdzīgs nama kungam, kas izdod no sava krājuma jaunas un vecas lietas." 53 Un notika, kad Jēzus šīs līdzības bija beidzis, Viņš aizgāja no turienes. 54 Un, nonācis Savā tēvu pilsētā, Viņš tos mācīja viņu sinagogā, tā ka tie brīnījās un sacīja: "No kurienes Šim tāda gudrība un tāds spēks? 55 Vai Viņš nav amatnieka dēls? Vai Viņa māte nav Marija un Viņa brāļi Jēkabs un Jozefs, un Sīmanis, un Jūda? 56 Un vai nav visas Viņa māsas pie mums? No kurienes tad Šim tas viss?" 57 Un tie ņēma apgrēcību pie Viņa. Bet Jēzus uz tiem sacīja: "Pravietis nekur nav mazāk cienīts kā savā tēvu zemē un savās mājās." 58 Un Viņš tur nedarīja daudz brīnumu viņu neticības dēļ.
